


Freedom

by Rawrgoesthedinosaur2015



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Derek Morgan feels, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, criminal minds - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:02:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rawrgoesthedinosaur2015/pseuds/Rawrgoesthedinosaur2015
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being held captive for five years, McKenna Harris finally escapes and is taken to the hospital... traumatised and weak, nobody can get her to talk or eat, until the FBI arrives and one agent breaks through all her defenses...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freedom

The lights hurt McKenna’s eyes as she lay in the hospital bed, watching the doctors and nurses rush around her. People kept asking her questions, kept trying to touch her and all she wanted to do was scream at them to leave her alone, but she couldn’t.

Finally they left her alone, turning down the lights as they left and closing the door behind them, shutting out all the noise from outside. After five years of being chained up and alone in the dark, the sudden freedom McKenna now had was overwhelming… and she was terrified.

Day after day she had sat in that cramped underground space, with no light and scarce amounts of food that her captor allowed her to have. Now the chains were gone and she was free from the hell she had been forced to live, but the fear was still there… strong and paralysing.

A nurse soon entered the room, smiling at McKenna and placing a tray of food on the bed table, before checking the machine that was beeping beside her. As the nurse opened the door to leave, she exchanged words with someone outside the door and then nodded, holding the door open for two people that McKenna didn’t recognise to enter.

The man and woman approached the bed cautiously, leaving a safe distance between them and McKenna, which helped her relax a little. The first thing McKenna noticed were the man’s eyes, they were filled with sadness and anger, rather than the pity and disgust she was used to.

“Hey,” The woman said making McKenna flinch and shift over on the bed away from them, “I’m JJ and this is my friend Derek , we’re with the FBI. I know you’ve been through a lot, and that you probably don’t feel like talking, but can you tell me your name?”

McKenna kept her gaze on her hands, jumping when someone’s phone started ringing, and the woman left the room.

“The food looks pretty good, they even gave you extra jello,” Derek stated drawing McKenna’s attention to the food, which she hadn’t touched, “Is it okay if I sit down?”

McKenna nodded hesitantly, watching him sit in the chair beside the bed, and shifting her gaze so that she was looking at him. Without a word, Derek pulled out his FBI badge and placed it on the bed table, before settling back in the chair.

Derek stayed for about an hour, before he stepped outside to speak with the woman he had been with earlier, and with a shaking hand McKenna took the badge from the table opening it. McKenna noticed Derek’s picture first, which had Derek Morgan SSA written underneath, and then on the top section it had FBI as well as Special Agent.

Placing the badge back on the bed table as Derek came back in, McKenna glanced at the food again and reached for the small pot of jello. She took a couple of small spoonfuls, before pushing the other pot towards Derek, and watching as he took it.

“My names McKenna.”

“What about a last name?” Derek replied keeping his voice calm.

“Harris.”

McKenna watched as Derek pulled out his phone, and pressed a few buttons, before putting it back away. Finishing her jello, McKenna put the empty pot on the tray and looked at the sandwich.

“You can have it you know… it’s yours,” Derek reassured her.  
Reluctantly reaching over to take the sandwich, McKenna knocked the glass of orange juice with her arm, and instantly felt the dread wash over her as the glass tipped.

“I’m sorry,” McKenna said flinching as Derek stood up quickly, “It was an accident, I didn’t mean to do it… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay… just relax, I’m just going to call a nurse to get it cleared up,” Derek stated leaning over and pressing the call button.

McKenna was silent as the nurse cleared up the mess, keeping her head down and her eyes on the bed sheets. Once the nurse had gone, McKenna hesitantly took the sandwich and bit into it, glancing over at Derek who gave her an encouraging nod.

Exhaustion soon took over and McKenna drifted into a restless sleep, waking up a few hours later to find her room empty. The next morning Derek returned with a doctor and nurse in tow, smiling at her when he noticed that she was awake.

“Morning McKenna,” The doctor said looking over her chart, “I need to examine you, is that okay?”

“I’ll stay if you want me to,” Derek offered obviously seeing the fear that flashed in McKenna’s eyes.

McKenna nodded, her entire body trembling in fear, and she tensed as the doctor began touching her skin. Derek had to leave while McKenna got changed into a hospital gown, and she suddenly found herself feeling extremely vulnerable as the doctor did the examination.

It wasn’t until the nurse tried to touch her, that McKenna freaked out and put herself in the corner, hugging her knees close to her chest. The doctor tried to talk to her, but McKenna covered her ears with her hands, and closed her eyes tight as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She heard the doctor tell the nurse that she could leave, and slowly removed her hands from her ears, opening her eyes. The doctor waited until she had calmed down, before allowing Derek in, and leaving them to talk.

“It’s okay to be scared,” Derek told her crouching down to talk at her level, “Things will be scary for a while, but no one is going to hurt you here… I’ll make sure of that.”

“Do you promise?” McKenna whispered.

“I promise,” Derek replied holding out his hand for her to take.

McKenna hesitated but finally reached out and took his hand, letting him pull her up. Climbing back into the hospital bed, McKenna made sure that her legs were covered properly, and then with a deep breath she spoke.

“Are you going to find her?”

“Her?” Derek inquired with a frown, “McKenna, was it a woman who kidnapped you?”

“No, it was a man who took me but he took me straight to a woman.”

“Can you remember anything about the place you were taken to?”

“The man blindfolded me,” McKenna mumbled.

“What about something you heard or smelt?” Derek added.

“I…” McKenna began but instead lowered her gaze back to her hands in defeat.

“That’s okay,” Derek reassured her, “Can I try something that might help you remember?”

“Okay,” McKenna whispered.

“I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath,” Derek said watching McKenna who glanced over at him, before reluctantly closing her eyes and taking a deep breath just like he instructed, “I know it was a long time ago, but I want you to go back to the day you were taken, what were doing when the man grabbed you?”

“I was walking home from school,” McKenna stated allowing her mind to wander back to that day, “It was a hot day and I decided to walk through the park, since it was the quickest way home. I remember the park was quiet, because the school’s hadn’t long finished, but I didn’t know that I was being followed until someone grabbed me from behind, and put their hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming.’

“What can you tell me about the man McKenna?” Derek asked.

“He was tall and big, the hand that was over my mouth feels rough against my face,” McKenna told him although she knew that wouldn’t help, “I remember that he smelt like fire and dirt.”

“What happened next?”

“I struggled… but it didn’t help because I still ended up in the back of a black van, and the doors were slammed shut… It’s really dark. It was really hot and loud because the road was bumpy, it made things bang and move around, but I couldn’t see anything,” McKenna explained, “I wasn’t in the van long… it felt like forever but it could only have been half an hour maybe less, and then the van came to a sudden stop sending me flying. The doors were yanked open, and before I could see anything my eyes were covered with something.”

“What’s the man doing now?”

“He’s leading me forward… I don’t want to go in that room,” McKenna said feeling Derek take her hand and tighten his grip a little to let her know that he was there, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You’re doing great McKenna… I need you to focus and tell me if there is anything that you can hear or smell, that may help us work out where you were being held.”

“I can hear birds singing and something in the distance… I think it might be a boat or a jet ski,” McKenna stated, “There’s the sound of banging, like someone hammering wood and it’a getting louder as we move.”

“Is there anything else?”

“ I can smell freshly cut wood, and something sweet but I can’t place it.”

“Okay, that’s enough for now.”

McKenna opened her eyes; feeling suddenly exhausted and gripping Derek’s hand tighter as she allowed her eyes to drift shut.

***

Derek watched as McKenna fell asleep, waiting until her grip loosened and her breathing evened out, before stepping outside. Glancing back through the window at McKenna to make sure she was still sleeping, Derek pulled out his phone and called Garcia, waiting for her to answer.

“Tell me something good baby girl,” Derek said when Garcia answered.

“If by good you mean happy I have nothing,” Garcia replied sounding apologetic.

“What do you have for me?” Derek added.

“McKenna Harris was kidnapped five years ago on her way home from school, the police investigated but they came up with nothing and after six months the case went cold,” Garcia told him, “A year after her disappearance her mum Kelly Harris committed suicide, and McKenna became an orphan.”

“Wait, you’re telling me that she has no one?”

“Kelly Harris was an only child, and her parents died when McKenna was young.”

“Well, what about her dad?” Derek asked.

“I’ve looked but as far as I can find there wasn’t one listed.”

“Were you able to find anything using the info I sent you?”

“I sent a list of possible locations to Hotch and the team, they’re being checked as we speak… do you think the newest abduction and McKenna’s were done by the same person?”

“We think so… the problem is I don’t think the guys are going to be able to make a positive identification on the location without McKenna’s help,” Derek said looking down the corridor towards McKenna’s room.

“Maybe you could get her to look at some pictures, or take her with you.”

“Thanks Penelope,” Derek added.

“Are you okay?” Garcia inquired before he could hang up, “This ones a bad one huh?”

“The ones involving kids usually are, but this one is different… I connected with McKenna on a personal level and I’m not sure why. All I know is that this girl is beyond traumatised and she’s all alone, but I know I can help her through this.”

“That’s why I love you Derek Morgan… you’re a superhero for those in need,” Garcia replied,

“McKenna is lucky to have you there with her.”

Derek hung up, heading to the nurses station and approaching McKenna’s doctor.

“Hey doc, I need to get back to my team,” Derek informed him handing over a card with his number on it, “When McKenna wakes up can you let her know that I will be back as soon as I can, and if you need me or something happens give me a ring.”

“Of course.”

***

When McKenna woke up it was early morning, and she was alone in her room. It wasn’t long before the doctor walked in and picked up her chart, examining it before looking over at her with a smile.

“Agent Morgan will be back soon,” The doctor informed her placing her chart back at the end of the bed and checking the machine beside her, “If you need anything just push the call button, and I will be in as soon as I’m free.”

McKenna nodded, watching as the doctor left the room, and closed her eyes again letting her mind wander.

‘Everywhere McKenna looked she was met with nothing but darkness, the room she was in had no windows and she was scared. Her entire body was trembling, but if she was honest she couldn’t tell if it was due to the lack of heat, or the fact that she no longer knew where she was and if she’d ever see her mum again.

The chains were heavy as she pulled on them, the metal cold against her skin, and the pain of the metal digging into her flesh emanating throughout her entire body. She soon gave up, collapsing to the ground in defeat, and curling herself into a ball as silent tears rolled down her face.

Time seemed to lose meaning, as the days merged into one never ending cycle of darkness, and McKenna began to lose hope of being found.'

The door to her room opening snapped her back to reality, and she looked over to find Derek entering, accompanied by another man she didn't recognize.

"Hey," Derek said sitting down in the chair next to her, "This is SSA Hotchner, he's in charge of your case... we need to ask you something.”

“Okay.”

“From what you told me about the place you were taken, we managed to make a list of possible locations where you could have been kept but we can’t narrow that list down anymore, and searching them all will take too long,” Derek explained.

“What can I do to help?”

“We want you to come to the locations with us, we know that that isn’t something that we should be asking of you after everything you’ve been through, but another girl has been kidnapped and we think that it was the same people that took you,” Hotch stated moving to stand closer to the bed, “We don’t have any other way of finding her that won’t take too long.”

McKenna didn’t know what to say, she wanted to help but just the thought of going back to that place sent fear racing through her bones, and she didn’t know if she was strong enough to face that. It was the thought of someone else going through what she did that made up her mind, and she looked at Derek before nodding her head in agreement.

“Will you stay with me?” McKenna asked Derek.

“I’ll be there the entire time,” Derek replied handing her a backpack, “My friend Penelope sent you some clothes, and other bits that she thought you might appreciate.”

“She didn’t have to do that,” McKenna mumbled accepting the bag and opening it.

Climbing off the bed, McKenna took the clean clothes and went into the bathroom, changing out of the hospital gown. Heading back into the room, McKenna zipped up the backpack and put it on her back, following Derek out of the room after Hotch.

Sitting in the back of the SUV, McKenna stared out the window watching the passing scenery, and wondering whether she really could help find the missing girl. McKenna watched as they pulled up outside the police station, hesitating for a few minutes before climbing out and putting her bag on her back, sticking close to Derek as they went inside.

“Okay guys, this is McKenna Harris and she’s agreed to help us,” Hotch announced as they entered a room, “McKenna, I’d like to introduce SSA Jareau, Blake, Rossi and Dr. Spencer Reid.”

“Garcia just sent us the list of possible locations again, but this time she’s put them in order of most likely to least likely, which I’m hoping will help us out a little,” Rossi stated handing a copy of the list to Hotch who nodded.

The first three locations were a waste of time, and McKenna was beginning to doubt that she could help at all, until they reached the next on the list. Stepping out of the car with Hotch and Derek, McKenna froze as a familiar smell hit her nose.

Grabbing Derek’s arm, McKenna stepped closer to him and looked at the house, which stood before them. Shifting her gaze to Derek, McKenna nodded to let him know that it was the place, and then watched as the team moved in.

Standing with a deputy near the SUVs, McKenna glanced around nervously, screaming when a loud bang sounded from somewhere near them and the deputy fell to the ground. The memory of being grabbed five years ago rushed into her mind, as someone wrapped their arm around her throat, and pressed a gun to the side of her head.

“FBI… put the gun down and let her go,” Derek shouted the anger clear in his demand as he pointed his gun towards them.

The smell of fire and dirt filled McKenna’s nose, and she struggled against her captors hold, knowing that it was the same man that took her five years ago but it did no good.

“Make one wrong move, and I’ll put a bullet clean through her brain,” The man growled causing McKenna to flinch.

“It’s over, you have no where left to run,” Rossi added causing the man to tighten his grip.

“Okay,” Derek said lowering his weapon and placing it back in its holster, “My guns away… lets just talk.”

“I don’t need a god-damn shrink, just let me go and she lives,” The man stated as McKenna heard a click beside her ear, “Or I can just shoot her now and you can put an end to my misery.”

“That’s not going to happen…” Hotch replied stepping up next to Derek, “Let her go… she doesn’t deserve to be punished for your guilt. You never wanted a part in any of this did you?”

“She said that she knew where my daughter was… she said that if I got her a girl then she would tell me where she was,” The man told them, “I had to know… but once I got her back here the woman told me that she had never even seen my daughter, and by then it was too late.”

“Why didn’t you report it?” JJ asked.

“Hope that there was a chance… it doesn’t matter now anyway, I don’t have anything to live for anymore and neither does she… no one is going to be there to help you…” The man whispered in her ear, “Nobody cares… to them you’re just a traumatised kid who is all alone in the world… this will set you free I promise.”

“McKenna, don’t listen to him… I care and I want to help you,” Derek added, “She is just a good kid that bad stuff happened to, just like it did to me when I was younger, but she deserves a chance to live a life away from all this.”

“Why don’t you ask her how she felt being alone with someone she didn’t know for five years?” Hotch suggested, “Ask her what happened?”

“I don’t need to hear any of that.”

“I think you do,” Hotch insisted as Derek took another step closer, “McKenna, go ahead and tell him.”

“Lonely and scared mostly… but vulnerable too,” McKenna mumbled as tears streamed down her face and her entire body trembled violently, “The abuse started after about six months, I would get punished for her having a bad day or someone else’s wrong doing… please just let me go.”

“You don’t understand…” The man whispered although his grip on her loosened, “People won’t understand what you’ve been through.”

“It’s true, no one will understand what she went through, but that doesn’t give you the right to take her life away from her,” Rossi stated, “She’s young… there’s so much stuff that she hasn’t yet gotten to experience, give her the opportunity to do that.”

“I know why you’re doing this Eric,” Hotch added putting his phone back in his pocket which he had been looking at as Rossi spoke, “Your daughter Hannah was kidnapped when she was thirteen, but she couldn’t handle life once she was home and free could she?”

“She was my life, my little girl and she was taken from me twice… I found her in her bedroom with a note that read Freedom was all I wanted but it’s too much.”

“You don’t want to hurt McKenna, Eric,” Derek said, “Let her go and we can help her get her life back.”

There were a few moments of silence, before Eric dropped the gun and pushed McKenna into Derek, who put his arms around her protectively as she sobbed into his chest.

***

Derek sat on the plane home thinking about McKenna after another hard case, it had been almost a month since they had wrapped up her case, and returned the other missing girl to her family. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through his contacts and pressed the call button once he reached McKenna’s name.

“Hey Kid,” Derek said when she answered.

“Tough day?” McKenna asked.

“More like tough week, I just wanted to hear your voice that’s all… how you doing?”

“I don’t know… sometimes I think I’m okay, but then something reminds me of everything that happened, and I realize that I’m not,” McKenna told him her voice cracking as she spoke.

“It’ll get better and you know that I’m only a phone call away if you need me,” Derek replied.

“I’ve got to go… I have group therapy,” McKenna added sounding disappointed, “I’ll ring you tomorrow like normal.”

“Okay kid, look after yourself and be careful.”

“You too.”

Derek hung up, putting the phone back in his pocket and looking over at Blake who was smiling at him.

“She’s lucky to have you in her life,” Blake said and Derek couldn’t help thinking ‘I’m lucky to have her’.

Everybody at the BAU on occasion needed something to remind them that they actually made a difference, and McKenna was that something for Derek. She rang him every week, and if a case had been bad he rang her… it was just conversation but she was something good in his life that was outside of work… she was the light in the dark world he often resided in.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading :) Let me know what you think


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